Tag Archives: equestrian

The frosty mornings, the hours upon hours of practice, and the literal sweat and tears that come with getting that perfect equitation pose can seem rather undesirable. Why would anyone want to pursue that? To all of the riders out there who still can’t seem to see the benefits of equitation outside of improving your riding, here are a few of them:

Posture. More than ever, adolescents are found slouching, crouching, and contorting their backs in ways that are extremely unhealthy! People are all going to have back braces by the time they are twenty years old if they don’t learn how to stand and sit up straight and walk with poise! It is, however, quite rare to see an equitation rider slouch on or off of a horse. All those rides with your shoulders tied back with a whip between your shoulder blades definitely have an effect on your posture in daily life.

Elegance. Nothing stands out more in a crowd, than elegance. An equitation rider is required to exhibit the utmost elegance while performing rail-work and patterns so as to make it pleasurable to watch. As Audrey Hepburn, one of the most elegant women known to walk this planet earth once said, “Elegance is the only beauty that never fades.”

LIFE IS NOT FAIR. IT JUST ISN’T. Every single equitation rider out there has felt as though they were given an unjust ribbon, maybe even based entirely on their appearance. As heartless as it sounds, equitation teaches you how to deal with it. Hard work and dedication have always pulled through in equitation, not how pretty you are, or how much your horse is worth, but in those moments when someone’s (namely, the judge’s) opinion doesn’t swing your way, equitation will have taught you the confidence to feel sound in your ability, rather than cause you to crumble under the judgment of others.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Participation in the equitation finals is only for junior exhibitors, so do it while you can! Equitation is a great way to meet amazing people, to stretch your mental and physical capabilities, and to obtain a priceless connection with a horse that will (guaranteed) change your life.

And lastly, for the performance riders out there who would still rather be on a flashy show horse: equitation will make you a better rider. Equitation will make it possible for you to ride any horse, no matter how crazy his eye’s are. The ability to feel what a horse needs, while navigating through a pattern, will undoubtedly allow you to maneuver and show your way through the best and most crowded of classes with ease and style. If that is not reason enough to practice equitation, then I do not know what is.

As you guys may have seen over the past few weeks, the prize list for The Good Hands Finals is growing, growing, growing! Here’s a breakdown of all the swag our competitors will walk away with!

All qualified riders:

Each qualified rider will have already received a Good Hands themed bow from Arctic Horse, by Jodi Nelson, and for the boys of the group: a Good Hands themed tie! They will have also received a beautiful Mid America Show Horse Association donated Lapel Pin! All of these Good Hands goodies given out at the 2014 Kentucky State Fair along win an informational packet and formal invitation to join us for the finals October 24th and 25th.

All competing riders:

Each rider competing in the Good Hands finals will be receiving a surprise, generously sponsored by Good Hands’ Official Sponsor: The National Horseman and Good Hands’ home team: the Mid America Show Horse Association, as well as the invaluable chance to win a week long vacation at the Amy’s Acres cottage in northern Wisconsin!

All Top Ten Qualified Riders:

Our elite Top Ten competitors will also be receiving a handmade walnut Good Hands Riding Whip, which is currently in the process of being made, and the chance to win a $1,000 Scholarship from Elisabeth Goth, LLC to support their future!

Our 2014 Good Hands Finals Champion:

To our winning rider, our sponsors and the committee will be giving, not only the traditional Good Hands Prizes of the traveling trophies, medallions, and ribbons, but also a painting of horse and rider created by the talented C. Klasek Design, LLC.

Don’t think we forgot about the behind the scenes workers making all of this possible for our beloved competitors! The Good Hands Committee has also gathered anothersurprise to be given away at the Evening of Champions, Friday, October 24th in the Artisan building after the Friday evening performance of Mane Event!

To become a sponsor or to learn more about all we have to offer our competitors, qualified riders, trainers, and grooms, go to the Contact Us page with your questions!

Snowpine Stables has generously donated ten handcrafted walnut riding whips to the Top Ten Exhibitors for The Good Hands Finals this year! These beautiful whips are made by Lisa and Richard Balcerak and are modeled after the riding whip our 2013 Winner, and Triple Crown winner, Jessica Wuesthofen used when she competed. The Good Hands Committee would like to thank Snowpine Stables for their generous support of The Good Hands Finals exhibitors. Below are some inprogress photos of this prize!

Artic Horse, an equestrian accessories provider, custom made 50 hair bows in three different styles for The Good Hands Finals qualified riders as an invitation to join in on the fun, the challenge, and the experience of the finals! Each qualified rider already has a bow in hand and is invited to wear those bows while competing, should they wish! Jodi Nelson, owner and hand-crafter of Artic Horse accessories, has a number of other products to offer GH Competitors! The Committee wants to thank Jodi for her beautiful bows and for helping our competitors ride in style! Below is a shot of two of the four gorgeous bow styles given to the riders at the 2014 Kentucky State Fair with their invitation packets.

Amy’s Acres has generously sponsored a Wisconsin Wilderness vacation to a lucky Good Hands Participant where they can enjoy the quiet beauty of 155 acres in northeastern Wisconsin; just 30 minutes from the Wisconsin Dells! The winner of time in this lovely space will be drawn at the Evening of Champions Reception, Friday the 24th of October after the evening performance of the Mane Event Horse Show in the Artisan Building. Amy Weiler, owner of Amy’s Acres, is an avid competitor and supporter of the Saddlebred breed and industry. Her beautiful home boasts 6 bedrooms, 3 full baths, a formal dining room, washer and dryer, enough space for 12 guests, and stunning views of the surrounding area. It’s located 45 minutes from the gorgeous shops in Princeton where the lucky winner of this sponsorship can enjoy an afternoon shopping! The Good Hands Committee would like to thank Amy’s Acre for the generous sponsorship of this Finals.

CKlasek Design, LTD. has generously donated a custom painting of The 2014 Good Hands Finals Champion and their winning horse as a keepsake. Cathy Klasek, artist and owner of CKlasek Designs, LTD., is a well known exhibitor and contributor to the Saddlebred industry. She, also, enjoys watching the poise and precision of our talented equitation athletes. And, as of this year, has a new appreciation of the entire process. Oh Night Divine (Yahtzee), a horse bred by Cathy, made his debut as an equitation horse this season. Trained by Toni Utoft, but now under the direction of Kent Swalla, Yahtzee is making his presence felt having won the championship ribbon at Lexington Junior League this year with Gabby Snyder. Some examples of Cathy’s beautiful paintings can be seen below!

We are so thankful for generous sponsors, like Cathy, for their time and talents. The Good Hands Finals will be held at the Mane Event Horse Show, October 22-26th, in Springfield, Illinois. We look forward to welcoming each rider and witnessing the beauty as our bright young stars show us the precision and elegance of equitation.

Elisabeth Goth, renowned rider and Saddle Seat supporter, is the “Gold Level Sponsor” of the prestigious Good Hands Finals to be held at Mid-America Mane Event Horse Show, October 23-26, at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, IL. In addition to the sponsorship, Elisabeth will be donating a $1,000 college scholarship to one of the Top Ten riders. This partnership allows for two entities from the Saddlebred community to come together to showcase and celebrate saddle seat equitation and its athletes. The announcement was made by the Good Hands Finals Committee and Mid-America Horse Show Association.

Elisabeth Goth, well known for her continuous support and participation in the Saddlebred community and the show horse world, is generously taking part in supporting these athletes. The Good Hands Finals is the oldest saddle seat equitation finals in the country. It dates back to 1929 and for many years was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In 2009, the finals moved to the more centrally located Mane Event Horse Show, where participation has grown by 78%, making Good Hands the largest of the “Triple Crown” finals.

It is the goal of Mid-America Horse Show Association, The National Horseman, Elisabeth Goth, and the Good Hands Finals Committee to build upon the traditions already set, to continue to grow this final and promote saddle seat equitation. Elisabeth Goth’s sponsorship enables the committee to provide more incentives to qualified riders and to host an added Friday night celebration honoring the riders for the entire community attending the show.

Riders compete at shows throughout the season to qualify for the 2014 Good Hands Finals. Class specs, judging criteria and finals procedures are detailed in the USEF Rule Book.

The Good Hands Committee is made up of Jessica Curl, Jessica Moctezuma, Lindsay Shearman, and Jenna Winquist (The Good Hands Social Media Correspondent) who bring great enthusiasm, energy and an appreciation for what it takes to excel in show ring competition. Sharon Gardner, former equitation “mom” and current Mid-America president, serves as advisor to the committee.

Jenna: These equitation finals are not just a brief portion of your life that are left behind only to be reminisced. Often times, they can truly make an impact on a person’s life. How do you think these equitation finals left their mark on you?

Nick: If I were to use one word to illustrate the mark equitation and these national finals left on me, it would be tenacity. The ability to remain persistent on the goals I set for myself in equitation has translated directly into my scholastic and professional career. Beyond the physical endurance required during the two months encompassing these finals, there was a very necessary mental fortitude. Ultimately, these conditions left me with a more determined attitude about the challenges I take on in my life outside of the equestrian world.

Jenna: If you were to do it again, would you change anything or do anything differently?

Nick: There is not a noteworthy part of my Triple Crown experience I would change. I made the conscious decision before my 16-year-old year to have it be my last due to the impeding aspect of college life that would come in my 17-year-old year. This choice gave me a real peace of mind that ultimately helped my horse and me throughout the year. Prior to the finals that year, I was already highly content with my equitation career and what I had accomplished with my incredibly talented horse — the Triple Crown was icing on the cake. As for a word of advice from this, I would say that the finals will be much easier to mentally handle if you recognize and appreciate the aspects you have control of while remaining stoic about the rest.

Nick Maupin and CH Eq Coco Mojo

Jenna: What were some of your greatest memories while competing in equitation?

Nick: My reserve title in the UPHA Junior Challenge Cup during my first year out of equitation with my first horse, Oh What a Feeling, will always be memorable for me. He would consistently test my abilities, but he always had a way of pulling through for me when I needed him to. Beyond that, winning my age group at Louisville and taking reserve in the UPHA Challenge Cup with Coco Mojo in his 4-year-old year was incredible. As mentally grueling as the finals are for the riders, it is undeniably more difficult for such a young horse, and Mojo pulled through remarkably. Any class with him was just as rewarding as the last. I will absolutely never forget the moment I came back up the ramp of Kemper after my last pattern with Mojo, knowing we had just concluded our extraordinary journey together.

As you stroll down Stopher’s Walk toward the arena, trainer by your side and partner in Equitation beneath you, breathe easy. While you wait for the in-gate to swing open this evening at Freedom Hall, let all of your winter training rush over you. As your chest tightens and heart rate quickens as they sound the call, you hit the green shavings with perfect form and a trot worth envying, know that we are thinking of you and wishing you the BEST of luck in your Equitation WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP tonight. Most important of all know that, among a pool of the World’s best of the best in equitation, regardless of your ribbon or any mistakes made, it’s about the ride. As we have all heard from our trainers, “Ride your ride.”

If you haven’t seen the Good Hands Committee yet this week, you definitely will today. Our team, as our Facebook Fans already know, is running around personally inviting all GH qualified Equitation Athletes to our Finals October 23-26 at the Mane Event horse show, but that’s not what is important about today.

While we certainly care about our qualified athletes, we care more about the industry’s athletes and those working to better themselves, improve their skill and improve their spirit (perhaps becoming one of our qualified athletes in the future). Today is the big day! Good luck to one and all, ride your ride, have fun, live in the moment, and recognize honor that is being chosen to perform with the best in the world in your division and your sport, and support and love one another.

National Horseman magazine now is the “Official Sponsor” of the prestigious Good Hands Finals to be held at Mid-America Mane Event Show, October 23-26, at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. This partnership allows for two historical entities from the Saddlebred community to come together to showcase and celebrate saddle seatequitation. Announcement was made by the Good Hands Finals Committee and Mid-America Horse Show Association.

National Horseman, founded in 1865, has been an anchor in the Saddlebred community and the show horse world. Earlier this year, Allison Lambert took over as publisher with a commitment to present beautiful photography, interesting features and cutting edge design as well as up-to-date news. She chose to partner with The Good Hands Finals to promote the precision and skill of the ride as well as the beauty of saddle seat equitation. According to Allison, “In my first year as publisher of National Horseman, it was especially important for me to give back to the industry that has given me so much. When presented with the opportunity to partner with Good Hands, I was not only honored and humbled by the notion, but extremely thrilled by the possibility. I believe strongly in the support and promotion of our equitation program, as it’s an essential part of the foundation of our business. Many of the greatest trainers, breeders, and amateurs in our industry today are former equitation riders whose skills and love for the breed were cemented by preparing for and competing in challenging equitation championships like The Good Hands”.